Can The New Nissan Leaf With 200-Mile Range Convince You To Go Green?

Electric vehicles aren’t a small niche anymore, and have witnessed a significant increase in sales over the past few years.

One of the first to launch an all-electric car was Nissan. Their first-gen Leaf wasn’t that refined, though, and its range was limited.

Things have drastically changed with the introduction of the second-gen Leaf, as it brings a 60 kWh battery option and over 200 miles (322+ km) of zero-emission driving.

Using a 240V socket takes about 8 hours to charge the battery, and if you’re in a hurry, you can use the fast charger to bring the battery to an 80 percent charge in 40 minutes. On the other hand, with a standard 120V socket, the Leaf’s battery will be topped up in 30 hours.

The interior of the new Leaf looks quite nice. The seating position seems higher than in most cars, the infotainment system can get you Apple and Android smartphone connectivity, and build quality is improved.

The odd gear selector may seem tricky to use at first, but Consumer Reports said that it has an easy learning curve. The reviewer was, however, disappointed in the tight headroom at the back, the fact that folding down the rear seats doesn’t create a flat loading area and that the steering is not quick to respond and there is some body lean when cornering.

On the plus side, the daily commute in congested traffic will be more pleasant in the new Leaf, thanks to the optional ProPilot semi-autonomous driving system. This clever feature requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times, bringing the car to a controlled stop if they don’t, but it’s a nice gizmo to have.

So, is the new Leaf the car that can finally make you go electric? Perhaps the following video might help you make up your mind.

NO.
THE ONLY THING I SEE APPEALING IS SEE ABOUT IT ARE THE FRONT SEATS.

Mike Stoddart

No, the Leaf’s driving position is awkward, the steering wheel doesn’t telescope and the floor is raised for those in the rear seats, so their seating position is also awkward. I could probably have an EV as a second vehicle, but not for our first vehicle. I have a hard time buying an EV when I can buy something much cheaper and use the cost differential to pay for gas and then some.

MarketAndChurch

No, not really. A great hybrid or electric SUV from nissan will though.

ddb

If they didn’t change they battery design to heat/cool it, the fast charging is worthless

Blade t

They really need to make it look better,,totally boring styling. .Chevy bolt had the same problem.

Dude

Can’t stand they way that guy talks. And I thought CR was very thorough and factual. Semi-auto systems aren’t proven to improve safety? That’s a total lie.

Bash

As a rental yes.
I need something bigger and sharper as a daily.

Come&TakeIt

There’s absolutely no benefit to buying a electric car. They are expensive, impractical for long trips, and disposable. They’re all powered mostly by coal and natural gas anyway. No way solar and wind will ever supply but a fraction of our energy needs.

A modern gasoline engine burns so cleanly that virtually no real pollulants leave the exhaust pipe (CO2 is not a pollutant).

EVs have no purpose.

Chris

LOL… wow; That either a lot of wrong or a lot of trolling. Impossible to tell these days.

– We’re adding Solar and Wind generation ~20x faster than EV consumption. It’s ~20% and rising.
– CO2 may not be a ‘pollutant’ but it does trap A LOT of additional thermal energy and that’s a problem because physics.
– EVs are 70% cheaper to fuel with solar than buying fools fuel for ICE.

Come&TakeIt

Solar and wind will never provide even half of our energy. Especially if more people start driving EVs. Plus so-called “green” energy costs 4x as much as coal/gas/nuclear. The only reason these eagle-killers are being built is because of massive govt subsides. Solar/wind farms could never survive without it.

CO2 as a GHG is negligible. It quickly reaches a saturation point in the atmosphere, so that any additional CO2 has zero warming effect. Besides, more warmth equals more green! Photosynthesis drops way down is cooler temps. Warmth is good!

I could on for days about the climate hoax. Wrong on so many levels. I suggest you start researching the thousands of esteemed scientists who disagree, but are shunned as heretics by the Church of Climate Change. Biggest modern day hoax in history. The Global Marxists are behind it all. Doubt me? Just look at the billions the UN is demanding we pay 3rd world countries for our climate change. A new story just broke today.

Educate yourself. Study the other side. You’ve clearly heard enough from the hoaxers.

Chris

LOL. What precisely creates this magic barrier at ~50%? We can add more wind and solar than the grid can handle and simply curtail the surplus. This already occurs. Guess what’s best suited to absorb this surplus on demand instead of curtailing or requiring costly grid storage? Batteries on wheels aka electric cars. Not only can we get to ~100% wind and solar but EVs can accelerate the transition through demand response.

All these things have been addressed and debunked by real scientists who arent on the government-funded gravy train.

Not even worth discussing with someone who isn’t interested in the scientific truth. I’ve researched both sides thoroughly and even believed the warming hoax was true originally.

Chris

Um…. not even close. CO2 preferentially absorbs IR over visible => warming. Physics a 5 year old can comprehend.

Come&TakeIt

Because if you can’t beat em, join em. Exxon is now on the global warming gravy train.

Google ‘global warming gravy train’ if you really want to know more.

Chris

So Exxon is going to give up TRILLIONS to make BILLIONS because they can’t refute a hoax??? LOL… you morons really will believe anything to maintain your pathetic world view….

disqus_SWe1pH5gM2

I’ve got a 7.5KW solar and still have a bill every month. My KW/h cost here in California would run me on average $.20. Putting on between 500 and 700 miles a week I figure I would have to replace my battery once every 5 years. Which the current cost is $6000. That saves me nothing in fuel costs when its all said and done.

Chris

$0.20/kWh is still ~50% cheaper than gas in CA.

1) The battery warranty is 8 years / 100k miles.

2) 100k miles @ $0.20/kWh is ~$5k vs 100k miles @ $3.70/gal is ~$12k. So even IF (unlikely) you need a new battery at 100k miles you’ve broken even (worst case). Plus no oil changes, filters, spark plugs or smog checks.

Unless you’re doing a lot of fast charging the battery should last for 100s of 1000s of miles. If you will do a lot of fast charging get a Tesla Model 3.

➡️ProtectOurHeritage⬅️

Nissan brought the first affordable mass-produced EV to market. Hardly surprising they’ve sold hundreds of thousands and already on their second generation.

Paul Jerry

Apart from the fact the electricity it uses comes from nonrenewable sources, the range is nowhere near what I need and the recharging time and infrastructure is poor.

Luiz Ferreira

Anyone who buys this over a Kona or Niro is just dumb. Both have better range and price. The lack of proper cooling will kill the Nissan’s battery in 3 years and it is killing the 30kwh and 40 kwh versions.

Come&TakeIt

I stated facts.

disqus_SWe1pH5gM2

It would take 5 years for me to put on enough miles till I need to replace the battery from my commuting. Throw in the cost of a new battery pack and I wouldn’t save a dime over gas.

Chris

Can’t speak for the LEAF since Nissan can’t learn their lesson on the need for active cooling but my Tesla is ~6 years old with ~150k miles on the original battery and I still have ~95% of the original capacity.

Exxon fought it until they realized they couldn’t anymore. If you can’t beat em, join em.

Now they’re getting govt subsidies for crap like developing algae fuel, which is extremely expensive and complete pointless given the enormous new oil reserves being found on a regular basis.

Have any of you even read any of the scientist papers refuting the climate hoax? Are you even aware of all the emails released by a whistleblower of all the UN IPCC fraud committed in order to global warming appear real.

I challenge you to read the other side instead of just believing what you are told.

Chris

You need facts. Facts are based on reality. Can’t fight reality. I’ve looked at the other side. It’s pure nonsense, it ignores facts and ignores reality.

More CO2 equals more green. More warmth equals more green too. Basic science.

Not wasting anymore time here. If you really want to know the truth, it can be easily found.

Sad that your generation has been brainwashed with all sorts of lies since day 1. You really need to start questioning everything you've been told. Good luck!

Chris

LOL… that in no way answers the question. If the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere from 280 => 400ppm was because the oceans are warmer… WHY are CO2 levels also rising in the oceans?

The CO2 from decaying matter is part of the carbon cycle so it also CAME from the atmosphere. If you have a spa that you’re adding 1gallon per hour into. The filter circulates 700 gph. If the spa starts overflowing and making a mess the 1 gph you’re adding is 100% of the problem not 0.1%.

More CO2 = more thermal energy which means climate change which means higher sea levels, stronger storms, worse flooding (A LOT worse because physics) and yes, a few areas might get more green. Not even close to an even trade……

Sad that morons like you clung to their guns but lost their minds. Good luck!

Chris

‘When the oceans are heated by increased solar activity, they release more CO2.’

If the oceans are the source why are CO2 levels rising in the oceans????

Chris

I’ve looked and looked; If the oceans are adding CO2 to the atmosphere but CO2 levels are ALSO rising in the oceans…. what’s adding CO2 to the oceans????

Chris

…. why do you suppose Oxygen levels have fallen in proportion to the rise in CO2? If the CO2 was coming out of the oceans this wouldn’t happen. It’s like O2 is combining with C to form CO2…. perhaps due to a pathetic addiction to fools fuel.

Chris

So… if CO2 is rising in the atmosphere; AND CO2 is rising in the atmosphere….

Come&TakeIt

None of what you posted is true . Just the opposite. Increased CO2 in the atmosphere of not the cause of global warming, but rather the effect. The sun heats the earth more, causing the ocean to release massive amount of CO2. It’s the same as when you leave an open soda can out. If it gets warm, it goes flat faster. Put it in the fridge though and it will stay fizzy overnight.

If you really are inquisitive I suggest you read the opposition’s scientific papers.

Chris

Yep… looked into it. More CO2 in the atmosphere AND more CO2 in the oceans. The numbers oddly match anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Probably…. proooobably a correlation. If there’s not… where’s the >30B tons we’re adding going???

Chris

So… how is the CO2 coming from the Oceans if the CO2 levels in the Oceans are also RISING? Or are you that terrible at math you don’t understand how that’s not possible. Here…. I’ll break it down. Timmy has 10 apples. Timmy now has 15 apples. Did Timmy gain or lose apples? Which number is bigger? 10 or 15? LOL….

Come&TakeIt

Because if you can’t beat em, join em. Exxon is now on the global warming gravy train.